Bring It Live

TRAVEL LOG

Thinking about taking your volleyball team on a foreign tour? You'll definitely want to read these stories. We've got articles and video from foreign volleyball tours of some of the nation's best teams such Stanford, the University of Texas, and the University of Tennessee.

Our aim in this section is to get you to the heart of each tour destination and prepare your team for travel to the region by providing insider advice from local volleyball players and experienced guides. We want your team to return home after each tour with life-changing experiences, wonderful memories and a new global perspective on volleyball. To get the most out of your foreign tour and international playing experience, you've got to be prepared.

An experienced international volleyball player and coach is a well informed traveler, so read this section for travel tips, lessons learned, mistakes to avoid, and advice from experts on the ground in each region.

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Life is Better on Two Wheels

Since 1996 Bring It Promotions (BIP) has been hosting collegiate teams from the USA around the world to sightsee and play matches. Summer 2017 has proven to not be any different as a total of 15 university teams are going through Europe 10-14 days at a time for a unique team bonding experience of navigating new countries and playing tough foreign competition.

On many of these trips, it is a chance for players and coaches to experience life in different countries around the world for the first time. The bonding between the team as a whole is heightened due to being placed in situations which inhibit accomplishing tasks outside of each individual’s comfort zones.

Tasks done as a team on a daily basis which have become routine practice, take on a new form, such as traveling to matches, eating pregame meals, doing laundry. Often times forcing the team to pull together to problem solve and lean on each other in diverse situations to bring them closer together.

One of the unique factors BIP prides themselves on providing when tours are being set up and delivered, is giving the team an ‘authentic’ trip. Teams travel all over the United States throughout the year for competition and training. BIP aims to give a new spin on team travel. This goal is achieved by giving teams the mentality, “When in Europe, do as the Euros do”. [Read more…] about Life is Better on Two Wheels

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Opening Ceremonies in Taipei

Nearly 8,000 athletes representing countries around the world marched in the opening ceremonies for the 2017  World University Games in Taipei, Taiwan.  The ceremonies were severely interrupted as a result of local protesters demonstrating against reforms in Taiwan’s pension system for government employees and teachers. However despite significant delays, Team USA did finally get to walk through the arena representing their country. [Read more…] about Opening Ceremonies in Taipei

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Team USA Heads to Taipei, Taiwan for the 2017 World University Games

The 2017 World University Games are hosted by Taipei City, the capital of Taiwan. Athletes from over 150 countries spread across 22 sports will compete in Taipei 2017. The Mayor of Taipei has deemed this event as the “biggest and most prominent international sporting event ever held in Taiwan”.

The Opening Ceremonies will take place on August 19th and signify the start of competition for all sports and then conclude on August 30th. Volleyball competition will run from August 20-29 for the Men and August 21-28 for the Women. [Read more…] about Team USA Heads to Taipei, Taiwan for the 2017 World University Games

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USA College National Team Takes on Thailand

The moment I knew this endeavor would be a trip of a lifetime was when I arrived in Los Angeles and met my first teammate at the airport. Both of us were so excited for what was ahead. When all 12 of our teamates got together before practice to hang out and chat, I quickly learned that the whole group was ready and eager to get things started. We immediately took to each other and bonded all throughout our first practice on Loyola Marymount’s campus and dinner that night before our redeye to Hong Kong. I couldn’t have imagined 11 better people or more talented athletes that I would’ve rather traveled the world and played volleyball with!

[Read more…] about USA College National Team Takes on Thailand

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Lost and found: Pieces of the Heart

When I returned home from my first volleyball tour to Nicaragua in 2013, I told my parents that I left pieces of my heart in many places. That initial self-realization continues to ring true the more I travel internationally.

I had the unique opportunity to start my overseas travel experience in 2011, when I was just 16 years old. I was asked to play in the 7th Annual Global Challenge by my club volleyball coach at the time, BIP Midwest coach Eric Schulze. I could not have been more excited. I, along with 3 of my club teammates, traveled to Rome, Vatican City, Florence, Venice, Italy and Pula, Croatia. Before this trip, I had never been outside of the United States. This 2011 tour in particular was exciting for multiple reasons. One: I was going to major cities in Europe, places I only thought I would see in my school textbooks. Two: This was the first time I was exposed to playing highly competitive, international volleyball. Three: This was the first volleyball trip and tournament that I played in since tearing my ACL.

In 2012, my club volleyball team decided to travel to Europe for two weeks in May. We visited Milan, Italy, Munich, Germany, Prague, Czech Republic, and Innsbruck, Austria. This trip was special because my teammates were seniors in high school. These girls were my sisters and best friends for past 5 years of my life. Most of the team was moving on to college after this trip. We were able to make so many lifetime memories; memories that we still talk about today. [Read more…] about Lost and found: Pieces of the Heart

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Cali Girl Overseas

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Guest post by Naya Crittenden, University of Illinois Class of 2016

I do not know the exact percentage of women playing professional volleyball right now, but I can tell you that the number is very small. I am one of the few post-collegiate American women, that is lucky enough to be able to play this game at the next level.

My story is not unlike many other women who have been able to experience the professional volleyball life, but everyone’s story is unique.

The beginning of my journey happened very fast and it felt like a dream. After the end of my 2016 senior season as an Illini, I was looking ahead to becoming a regular student (for the first time in my life) and being able to put my full focus in to broadcast journalism for the spring semester. I had a great internship lined up at one of the main news stations near my campus and I was planning on being a part of the social media team for our University’s newspaper. I was also going to be able to cheer on my boyfriend (who’s also an athlete at Illinois) during his 2017 Track and Field season. It seemed nothing could get more perfect. Until it did. [Read more…] about Cali Girl Overseas